Gokiburi Hoi Hoi...eewww.

Well, This is my home sweet home. I forgot to post this picture in an earlier blog. This is me, obviously, and the first meal I prepared in my apartment! Isn't it cute? I am still in the process of decorating and making the place mine :)
This is also one other photo I forgot to post. This is John, again :) We are at a shrine in Itako. Yamada-san brought us here after being at the BoE for the afternoon. He lit incense and we laid them in front of the "tomb"stones of his ancestors. It was quite an experience. I feel lucky that we just met and he wanted to share that with John and I. I am falling into the "peace" sign culture. I assumed they did the sign for respect for the war and that there is finally peace, indeed I was right.
These are three girls I met at the konbini (7/11) two days ago. We decided to meet yesterday at 10:30 AM and ride around. We did a lot of smiling and laughing! I had my nifty phrase book and we tried to make the best of the language barrier. I feel so special that they want to hang out with me! It was then off to get ice cream :) After I finished hanging out with the girls, I went home for relax for a bit. Yamada helped me order a few items for the apartment. He said he would be by between 2-3. Well, I thought that was to get me to go to the store to pick everything up. Silly me! It meant he was going to get everything and bring it to my apartment for me! Yamada is amazing!!! He is so incredibly helpful. He then took me to the 100 yen store so I could get picture frames. Then...to get Gokiburi Hoi Hoi...Cockroach hotels. Cockroaches are apparently a way of life here. Well, unfortunately that way of life and my personal self don't mesh well. It honestly cramps my style. They are harmless but good thing I found out to NEVER SQUISH A COCKROACH...IT POTENTIALLY WILL RELEASE EGGS...ewww!! So stick with spray or hotels...which every weapon you prefer.

Once Yamada dropped me off it was time to marinate some steak and begin decorating! I absolutely love my apartment! Pictures to come (I am trying to finish decorating). It was early to bed for me because of my prefecture orientation up in my prefecture's capitol, Mito.

I was supposed to take the 2.5 hour train up to Mito but because my boss is INCREDIBLE, did I mention that?, he drove me up there and picked me up at 4:00... Orientation was great, informative, blah blah. It was nice to see everyone again and see how our week in our various towns has gone. Well...let me tell you! I have BY FAR THE BEST DEAL!

ESID = Every Situation Is Different - is one of the primary mottos of JET. Well John and I DEFINITELY have a DS! Everyone I spoke with today has been having to go to school every day since they arrived. I have gone for all of two hours. I have asked if I need to come in not that there is really anything to work on but I ask anyway. Yamada said, "No, it is free for you". Okay GREAT!!! Also, I have Internet, have been to Tokyo, have been able to explore, have been meeting new people, have a bike, have been cooking, decorating, and really enjoying my time here. Work does not begin for me until September 1st when I give my self-introduction to the school. OH yes, I didn't mention, John and I do not pay rent only utilities. ALSO, we have a taxi service that takes us to and from school. Let me tell you, my 2nd school is only a 5 minute drive. But in the eyes of my BoE, something could happen in those 5 minutes. SOOO, they have hired a service to and from school for John and I! NO ONE ELSE HAS THIS!!! WHY US?! I have no CLUE! But I am not complaining! So needless to say, I am living the high life here in Itako. It may be small but its wonderful. I went to dinner on my own this evening. John is in Tokyo for the week. I ordered a beer and some sashimi. Notice...the beer has 11cal. Since when does beer only have 11 Calories?! I do not believe it! HAHA!

I am home for the evening, just cleaned the apartment, head to toe. It was already clean but I figured since I have these lovely critters living with me the cleaner it is the less they will want to be around. PLUS there are 5 lovely cockroach hotels with MAJOR vacancies :) hee hee. Hopefully they will walk right in and die! I am a little loopy since I have been up for a long time.

I am going to a festival tomorrow evening with a new friend. Aki is her name and she is actually John's JTE (Japanese Teacher of English). She is 22 and also just graduated. I had a brief meeting with her at the bank and she is adorable! Since John is not here, I have to entertain myself! So why not go out?! Dinner and Obon festival (honoring the dead) http://www.choonji.com/ - festival site.

Talk soon!!! XOXOX
Looks gross BUT I had a special function on my camera to only pic up the red color. Sorry it looks icky..it was oshii (delicious)